Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think you can’t get arsey about an unpaid invoice...

129 replies

Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:13

... if you’ve never checked to see it’s been received?

Someone popped into my office today to ask if there was an issue with payment. My clerk is working from home so I said I’d check.

As I’m bringing up the account he said ‘it’s from Feb 20’.

I won’t bore you with the entire conversation but since he’s supplied his services for around 10 years, and his bills are always paid within 2 weeks, isn’t it reasonable to think he might’ve noticed sooner than 13 months and check we’d received it?

He said ‘I thought I’d check before sending you a rude letter’ which just irritated me.

Obv this isn’t a big deal but I’m irked.

OP posts:
Passthewinebottle · 22/03/2021 16:14

YANBU. Would have pissed me right off.

PantherPantherus · 22/03/2021 16:15

Well, he has been off for the last 12 months.

Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:19

@PantherPantherus

Well, he has been off for the last 12 months.
So he can’t chase money? I’ve not stopped working at any point and given he’s had minimal income for a year you’d think the first thing he’s do is chase his outstanding invoices.
OP posts:
Kazzyhoward · 22/03/2021 16:21

He may have only just realised if you normally pay on time. Or his accountant may have picked it up doing the year end.

Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:22

@Kazzyhoward

He may have only just realised if you normally pay on time. Or his accountant may have picked it up doing the year end.
It was from Feb 20 so should’ve been in his 19/20 tax return.
OP posts:
HollowTalk · 22/03/2021 16:23

I was thinking that - it's the year end so someone's noticed it hasn't been received. Don't know why they didn't do that last year end, though.

CuthbertDibbleandGrubb · 22/03/2021 16:23

He has only checked because it's year end seems about right. Which has been at the end of March and April 5th for tax purposes since 1753.

YANBU to be annoyed.

jellybellybanana · 22/03/2021 16:25

You didn't pay him for work he did for you but you're cross at him for not chasing it up sooner?

Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:26

As I said I’m only really annoyed because he was arsey.

If he’d said ‘can I check you got blah blah’ then it wouldn’t have irritated me.

I think it’s because one of my bug bears is self employed people who don’t keep good records.

OP posts:
Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:27

@jellybellybanana

You didn't pay him for work he did for you but you're cross at him for not chasing it up sooner?
How would I know he’s done the work if I’ve not got an invoice?
OP posts:
RunningFromInsanity · 22/03/2021 16:28

@jellybellybanana

You didn't pay him for work he did for you but you're cross at him for not chasing it up sooner?
Literally Hmm

It’s sounds like he was polite, he only just noticed the missing payment so he popped in to ask if there was an issue, rather than go straight to a legal threatening letter.

No idea why you are annoyed.

darefullyciverse · 22/03/2021 16:29

I think it’s because one of my bug bears is self employed people who don’t keep good records.

This seems a bit unfair if you don't have good enough records to notice you've received goods/services but not paid for them

jellybellybanana · 22/03/2021 16:30

How would I know he’s done the work if I’ve not got an invoice?

You said he's been doing it for 10 years and you pay him every 2 weeks. You should have noticed the lack of invoice at the time. Also if you don't know whether work has been done and you just pay any invoice that hits your desk, you have bigger problems!

Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:33

@darefullyciverse

I think it’s because one of my bug bears is self employed people who don’t keep good records.

This seems a bit unfair if you don't have good enough records to notice you've received goods/services but not paid for them

Not all businesses operate using commitment spending.

Budget holders manage their budgets, I send reports and they’re supposed to let me know if anything is missing.

If it is I’ll accrue for it.

I find the idea of leaving a bill unpaid for over a year bizarre.

OP posts:
UhtredRagnarson · 22/03/2021 16:34

So was the invoice received? You haven’t said.

Tinydinosaur · 22/03/2021 16:34

YANBU We have this issue sometimes. Even with customers who repeatedly don't bloody pay until I've chased them several times I'm always polite. "I've just gone through my accounts and noticed an invoice for yourselves wasn't paid, it's from Feb 20 so probably lost under alot of paperwork. Here's a copy. Could you pay as soon as you get a chance please, my apologies for the delay noticing this." Invoices get lost, forgotten about, end up in spam folders and never read. You always assume it's a mistake.

Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:35

You said he's been doing it for 10 years and you pay him every 2 weeks

No, I said he’s been working for us for 10 years and his bills are paid within two weeks - not that he’s paid two weekly.

Of course I don’t pay any bill - how did you get that from anything I said?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:36

@UhtredRagnarson

So was the invoice received? You haven’t said.
No! He never sent it! It wasn’t on the system and not in the inbox either.
OP posts:
UhtredRagnarson · 22/03/2021 16:37

So what did he say when you pointed out it was his error? Hopefully he blushed!

jellybellybanana · 22/03/2021 16:37

Of course I don’t pay any bill - how did you get that from anything I said?!

Here: ^How would I know he’s done the work if I’ve not got an invoice?*

You should know whether he has done the work either way. The implication in your comment is that you have no idea whether the work was done, but would presume it was if you had an invoice, which you would pay.

Happytentoes · 22/03/2021 16:38

So your business does not use commitment spending - so presumably no order, but you’re pissed at him.
Clearly whomever commissioned the work should have asked you to accrue it at year end. Seems like process improvements go both ways .

PawPawNoodle · 22/03/2021 16:39

@Merryoldgoat how can you be sure he didn't send it? It was, after all, a year ago. Someone may have deleted it thinking it was actioned.

Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:44

@Happytentoes

So your business does not use commitment spending - so presumably no order, but you’re pissed at him. Clearly whomever commissioned the work should have asked you to accrue it at year end. Seems like process improvements go both ways .
Yup - I’ve already spoken to them.

In reality I wouldn’t have accrued for it as it’s not material but your point is completely valid and I have emailed the budget holder to keep her spreadsheet updated.

I’m pissed because of how he acted, not the fact of it. Yes I’m perplexed at an invoice outstanding for 13 months but happy to pay if it’s valid.

OP posts:
Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:47

[quote PolPotNoodle]@Merryoldgoat how can you be sure he didn't send it? It was, after all, a year ago. Someone may have deleted it thinking it was actioned.[/quote]
We only delete invoices from ref mailbox once they’ve been put on the system.

It would very unlikely be deleted without being entered.

I genuinely have only had about 3 invoices emailed and not put on the system in the last 3 years.

OP posts:
Original poster
Merryoldgoat · 22/03/2021 16:48

@UhtredRagnarson

So what did he say when you pointed out it was his error? Hopefully he blushed!
Nope. Not at all which also irked me.
OP posts: